Where Fate Lies
by temagnifique
Summary: Golden orbs gazed into the humans eyes with obvious distaste. "Impossible," he said flatly. The older man laughed, a coarse yet delightfull sound that vibrated deep within his chest. "Nothing's impossible, Sesshomaru. Nothing." Sesshomaru/Kagome.
1. Answers

All was still in the forest. Not a sound could be heard other than the soft breeze that rustled the trees, and the chirping of the crickets late at night. The sounds were beautiful, and the sight even more so. The moonlight was pouring through cracks in the trees, casting tall shadows that might have looked frightening to anyone else. To him, they looked inviting.

Sesshomaru was sitting on the ground, leaning next to an old oak. Though the setting was breathtaking, it could not compare to the demon who took place in it. He breathed in through his nose, tilting his head back slowly until the tip of his skull was touching the oak. Calmly, the inu-youkai opened his eyes.

Golden eyes met the crescent shaped moon, mirroring the symbol he carried most proudly on his forehead. He sighed. He would like more moments like this, time alone to immerse himself in his surroundings, but as usual, there was work to be done.

He stood up swiftly, and without a sound, continued south. There were rumours about a human man who lived in a village nearby… One Sesshoumaru certainly wanted to meet.

And why, do you ask, would the great demon lord want anything to do with a pathetic human, enough for him to leave the safety of his grounds to meet? Not even his most loyal servants were likely to ever find out. And not because he didn't trust them; no, he only had servants who had been with the family for centuries, the ones who were completely trustworthy. But Sesshomaru was naturally secretive, and mostly kept to himself. He had only told Jaken to tell Rin that he would be gone a few days, so she wouldn't worry.

He had left Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un at his castle, because this task he wanted to complete alone. He usually never left his three companions at home, because, well, as much as he would not admit it, he enjoyed their company. Well, he liked Rins company. Jaken was just annoying, but essential to babysit and keep Rin busy… And even though he was perhaps developing certain paternal feelings toward the girl, he was no fool. He understood that she was human, that she would grow old and die in the span of a mere century, no more. Which is why he never let himself feel more than a spark of affection toward her.

But tonight was different. He needed some answers. He wanted to know things, things that apparently this human could tell him. He didn't hold any false hopes; he discovered long ago that humans could not be depended on.

"SIT, BOY!"

Inuyasha yelped out in surprise as the necklace around his neck glowed a moment before dragging him down into the earth at full speed. He cursed into the dirt, and stayed still a moment before darting up, ignoring the ache of his muscles and his head.

"You just went _last week_! You can't go back already!" The hanyou yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation. He ignored the guilty feeling that washed over him as he saw the miko's eyes glisten.

Kagome spun on her heel and started in the direction of the well, stopping the tears before they came. Inuyasha watched her skirt twirl around, accenting her long legs perfectly. She stopped momentarily to bend down and collect her yellow backpack, throwing it over her shoulder, and he imagined that he would be able to see a fair bit of cleavage if he were on the other side. He narrowed his eyes, banishing the thoughts from his mind. "It's just one day, Inuyasha. Naraku and the shards will wait." She said over her shoulder.

"But they _won't_!" He yelled again, and then softened his voice a tad, realizing that upsetting her would get him nowhere. He just had to get her to _understand._ "D'you think he's just gonna sit back and say 'Oh, we better wait until Kagome comes back from that _important test _to complete the jewel and take over the world!'" He growled, unable to stop himself, and darted in front of her.

"Inuyasha…" She said quietly, avoiding his eyes. Kagome gasped as he placed both hands on her shoulders, and gently pulled her closer. A gust of wind caused a strand of soft, black hair drift into her face, and Inuyasha lifted a hand up, and, ever so gently, tucked the piece behind her ear. Time seemed to stop. She couldn't even remember why she was angry at him. His presence was intoxicating.

She didn't remember him stepping closer to her, but all of a sudden his nose was almost touching hers. "Please, stay…" He pleaded, his sweet breath caressing her face. Her eyes widened a fraction, she took in a shuddering breath, and he stared back, daring her to sit him again after being so nice. She must've seen the glint in his eyes because her eyes narrowed and she frowned, the hopeful expression wiped off her face in a moment.

"You _idiot!_" She spat, and she twisted out of his grasp immediately. She felt the hurt well inside her, the hopes of them actually having a moment crushed. Of course he wanted her to stay to collect the shards and _only _to collect the shards. She knew that he was completely oblivious of her feelings toward him, but it was embarrassing how easily he could take advantage of it.

He laughed, and his mouth turned up in that lopsided grin that she adored. "Hey, I almost gotchya there!" He said in triumph. He turned serious as he took in her expression.

"But you didn't." She added, voice quavering. "And I'm still going back."

And without another word, she stepped around the half-demon and continued to the well. Kagome huffed angrily as she lifted herself onto the old wooden sides of the ancient portal, and she didn't look back as she dropped herself into it, trusting and knowing even with her closed eyes that a bright violet light had engulfed her, taking her back home.

It was just after sunset when Lord Sesshomaru arrived at the village.

Most of the villagers had gone in for the night, and the place was practically a ghost town as he glided soundlessly across the uneven dirt road. There was no light coming from inside the small huts that surrounded him, but he knew there were small families, comfortable and asleep in each one. He reminded himself that he should not harm them, no matter how tempted he might be to dispose the world of another of those pathetic creatures. He was here on business, not pleasure.

It wasn't long before the taiyoukai had stopped before a large temple. His expression was detached, uninterested, as he watched a young priestess finish her prayers.

The girl looked to be about seventeen, and she was still in her miko garbs as she knelt in front of the temple, her hands clasped together as she chanted under her breath. Her black hair, almost touching her waist, was billowing in the soft wind. Sesshomaru did not make a sound, and he waited curiously until she finished her prayers.

He was slightly surprised that she had not acknowledged his presence. He knew she could sense him, and any miko in her right mind would have done something with the demon. Still, she continued.

Her prayer eventually ended, and she stayed still for a moment before opening her eyes. The girl looked over her shoulder.

"Thank you for letting me finish. My people find it disrespectful to stop in the middle of prayer." Her voice was soft and soothing. She turned to Sesshomaru, and bowed respectfully. He raised his eyebrow, but did not return the gesture. She was a very unusual girl.

And a very beautiful one at that. Her porcelain skin had an amazing effect with her dark hair, and her wide brown eyes and red, full lips were not modest. But the demon lord discarded her beauty. It was hardly important to him, as it was nothing in comparison to the dark, unnatural beauty of the demonesses he knew back at his kingdom.

The strange miko locked eyes with Sesshoumaru. She had a very strong aura, and he could tell by the way she presented herself she was very brave. Here she was, a mere human in the presence of the demon lord of the west, and she showed no signs of fear or distress.

This naturally concerned Sesshoumaru. He was _definitely_ not used to being looked at as an equal, and he _definitely_ did not like it.

The girl was obviously waiting for him to say something, but the demon, frustrated with her and stubborn as a mule, refused to say a word.

She realised what was happening, and, fortunately for her, decided to speak before she annoyed the lord further.

"I think I know who you are looking for." She said, and he arched an eyebrow. "Come. I will take you to him." She turned and, without looking back to see if he was following, started walking.

And of course, he followed.

He detested taking orders from humans, but he knew it would be foolish to refuse her when she was giving him exactly what he wanted.

He followed silently, and when they came to a small hut on the outskirts of the village, she turned to face him.

"You must have heard the rumours about my grandfather. I assure you, they are true. He has… Gifts, I guess you could say." She said quietly. She looked out into the forest at nothing, daydreaming. After a few moments of silence, she snapped out of her trance and looked at the demon, whose name she did not even know.

"He is very sick. I don't know how much time he has left. The only thing I ask of you… Be gentle with him. Please don't let him over do it. It makes him very weak. You'll see what I mean." She added.

Sesshoumaru wasn't about to make any promises. Of course, he was always willing to go through extreme measures to get what he wanted, and the old man was hardly any of his concern. But he nodded anyway to satisfy the miko, just a slight tip of the head to make her understand.

She smiled sadly, her eyes sparkling softly in the moonlight. "Alright." She whispered, and opened the door to the hut.

What he saw surprised him. He immediately started to doubt the rumours he had heard about this man, the ones about an incredibly gifted human in a village. Demons all over Japan had come to see him, and no one had dared to harm him because he was, apparently, nonexpendable.

Sesshoumaru had heard that, with one touch, the man was able to see anything and _everything _about you. Things that even you did not know about yourself. Not only your past, present and future, things you thought about and things you wanted, your purpose in life, the whole shebang.

When he had first heard about this ridiculously talented person, he had scoffed at the idea that it was even _possible_, let alone a human that possessed it. But after the stories he had heard, he decided it might not be a bad idea to drop by.

But at the sight of the scraggly, skinny old man, he almost considered leaving right then. Power was almost always shown in beauty, and the greatest demons were always the most beautiful. But this… Thing… Was repulsive, and he watched as he struggled to pull in a deep breath, his body convulsing as he hacked out a terrible cough. Surely this man didn't have an ounce of power in him.

When the old man had not noticed his granddaughter and the demon lord, the young girl rushed to his side.

She kneeled down by his side, ringing out a cold washcloth that was already stationed in a bucket next to his bed. The moment the cool cloth touched his forehead his eyes snapped open, looking for the source of comfort. He struggled to sit up, and the miko slid a hand around his back, murmuring under her breath.

All the while Sesshoumaru stood there, his head almost touching the ceiling. His swords hung loosely by his side, his armour shining in the candle light. The old man suddenly stopped coughing, his body going still. He looked up through gray eyelashes and locked eyes with the demon. Seshoumaru stared back, nothing but a slight disgust visible in those hard, cold eyes.

He watched as the man squeezed the girls hand before wheezing, "Aiko, I won't be in need of your service for a while. Sesshoumaru and I have some matters to discuss."

The girl, Aiko's eyes widened, and she was speechless for a moment before nodding slowly and retreating to what he guessed was the kitchen. Sesshoumaru himself was surprised that the old man could get out more than a few words. His own eyebrows lifted slightly at the mention of his name, but it only encouraged him further. Maybe this human was not as powerless as he believed.

Some colour had returned to his pale, sunken in face. His hand was shaking as he beckoned Sesshoumaru forward. He smiled brightly, and he could tell it took a lot of effort to channel the muscles in his face. His eyes shined brightly anyway as he looked at Sesshoumaru like a long lost son.

"Come here boy," He said, and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, insulted. He must know very well that he was hundreds of years older than this weak human. Seeing the demon lord's expression, he corrected himself.

"Oh, I apologize! How rude of me. I am Hiromasa." He smiled again, seeming to gain strength out of nowhere.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru retorted, his eyes sharp. The human, Hiromasa, watched Sesshomaru for a few moments before shaking his head and smiling. "I dreamt about you, you know." He said.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, a sign for him to continue. "Many demons have come to see me, but never have I dreamt of one before meeting them. You must be special." Hiromasa winked.

Sesshomaru scoffed at the man's young spirit. "Explain." He commanded.

Hiromasa chuckled. Yes, he looks much stronger than before. Sesshomaru was curious at the sudden recovery, but he kept silent. "The first one was three nights ago, and I've had the same on ever since. In it, you come to see me. The details are a bit hazy, but you are angry at what I tell you. You come back several times after our first meeting, which I presume would be right _now_." He nodded and continued.

"In the dream, you _change._ For some reason, our encounters, or maybe something else, changes you. In _here."_ He patted his heart.

"You speak nonsense." Sesshomaru bit out, unsettled by his prediction. Though he did not move, and Hiromasa shrugged slightly. "It confuses me as well. But that's just what I saw during the night. I can't say my dreams are as accurate as my _other_ gift." He amended. "May I try? That was what you came for anyway, was it not?"

Sesshomaru, displeased that it was now Hiromasa who was asking the questions, nodded stiffly anyway. He was surprised when the old man held out his shaky, wrinkly hand.

The demons eyes flashed with disgust as he regarded the human. He did not in a million years want to _touch_ it. Sure, he had touched Rin every once in a while, but she was young and healthy and soft, unlike this old hag. Hiromasa just chuckled, as if expecting the demon lords' reaction.

"It only works when I have physical contact." He informed Sesshomaru, almost smug.

Sesshomaru growled softly, narrowing his eyes. He would not tolerate such behaviour from _anyone_, a human no less. The man was clearly not afraid of him, and he would respect that, although he had his limits. He would not be humiliated by someone below him of such.

While all this was happening with Sesshomaru, a voice inside him was rolling his eyes, saying, _stop being so immature. It wouldn't kill your huge ego if you just listened to someone for once. It'll do you some good._

Sesshomaru calmed down slightly, and he looked up to find Hiromasa waiting, hand extended, one eyebrow raised. The inu-youkai paused. There really _was_ no harm. Sighing, Sesshomaru threw his pride out the window and placed a clawed, flawless hand in the weak one of the human.

At first, nothing happened. Sesshomaru sat awkwardly at the end of Hiromasa's bed, gently touching hands with the human sitting up in it. Hiromasa closed his eyes. A few moments later, he gasped, his small hand curling around Sesshomaru's.

But as soon as it had started, it was over. Hiromasa opened his eyes and released the demons hand. He sat back, taking deep breaths. The human now carried the burden of Sesshomaru's whole life.

Sesshomaru waited patiently, and watched, surprised, as Hiromasa gave a low whistled. "What a _life_."

Sesshomaru wanted to get up, to tear something apart or scream at the old man, _how can you say that! Why do you have the right to know my whole life when I haven't even lived it yet! _

But he was Sesshomaru, the great dog demon, Lord of the west… So he kept his cool. "What did you see?" He hissed through clenched teeth.

Hiromasa's eyes were unfocused, and he lay back in his bed, the exercise clearly having drained him of whatever remained of his energy. "Oh, that I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. Telling you your whole future would get some kind of reaction from you, and that would no doubt change _everything_. I apologize, _lord _Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru was suddenly vulnerable, and he felt uncomfortable knowing that if the rumours proved to be true, the human knew every little detail about his life.

"Well, what was the point of this whole exercise if you cannot do anything for me?" He asked bitterly. Not expecting an answer, he stood up and turned to leave.

"I never said I couldn't give you _anything_." Hiromasa said quietly, stopping the demon in his tracks.

"I will give you some information, something that will help you to achieve the future I saw." He said, a mysterious glint in his eyes.

Sesshomaru faced Hiromasa, but did not move from before the door. He waited.

"You want your arm back, no?" He asked.

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed down to the stub that was once his arm. He longed for it, yes. And it was a valuable asset in battle. His golden orbs betrayed no emotion, but the human had a sixth sense for such things.

Hiromasa nodded, satisfied. "It would take one of the most powerful mikos' ever to live to restore it. And I know who you must seek out. I have seen her in your future. She plays a very important part in your life." He said, and then frowned, like he had maybe already said too much. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was desperate to know more. He had not thought that restoring it would be possible.

"Who?" He snapped.

"Kagome Higurashi."

_Kagome Higurashi._

The name bounced around Sesshomaru's head a few seconds before he placed where he had heard it before. His eyes flashed with disbelief for a moment as he realized that it was her, that damn girl who traveled with his stupid half-brother.

He growled in annoyance. He had no time for games, and he would not allow the pathetic human to play with him.

"Impossible." He snapped. "I've seen the girl in action. She could barely pass as a miko. She has no power."

"You are wrong. She is the protector of the Shikon no Tama, is she not? It might not be visible at the moment, but that girl has great power that lies within her. It is your job to awaken it, and she will restore your arm." Hiromasa stated.

Sesshomaru was not enjoying being told what to think. He crossed the room in one quick stride, and had the man's neck in his grasp. "Enough with your games, human. You lie. She cannot be the one to do the job."

Hiromasa closed his eyes in pain, even though the demon lord hadn't applied any pressure. Sesshomaru let go, frustrated, the emotionless expression back in place.

Hiromasa finally opened his eyes, but still he showed no fear in front of the demon lord. "You know I am not lying, Sesshomaru. But you must listen to me. You need that girl."

"I _need_ no one." Sesshomaru growled, a low rumble that vibrated deep in his chest. He almost laughed, the thought of him _needing_ a human girl. Obviously having heard enough from the human, he left the hut in one graceful leap, ignoring the pleas of Hiromasa. He did hear as he was closing the door behind him a soft whisper.

"Find her. Bring her to your castle. And when you do, come back to me. I will help you. Trust me."

And Sesshomaru, oddly enough, felt he could.

A.N.

Phew! First chapter is complete!

So I'm super excited to write this story, because I am IN LOVE with this pairing! I mean, how romantic is it when the cold, heartless monster falls in love with the caring, innocent human?

I've been reading around and so I decided I wanted to write one of my own! Yay! This story is inspired mostly by one that I've read and loved, and I am so disappointed that it was discontinued. I'll name that one and another that I really liked in a list below so you can check them out.

-As she Wishes, by ENFP

-The Once and Future Taiyoukai, by RosieB

P.S. Here are the meanings of the names.

Aiko - 'little loved one'

Hiromasa – 'Broad minded, just'

Love youuus!


	2. Era's Apart

Kagome stifled a yawn with the palm of her hand as she emptied the contents of her big yellow bag onto her desk. Opening her thick geometry book and aligning her pencils beside it, she looked around. First one in class, other than the teacher whose back was to her, busily writing on the board while waiting for the first bell. She shook herself mentally and closed her eyes, giving herself a small pep talk.

_Okay, you've only got about two days tops before Inuyasha comes here to drag you back, so you'd better make the best of it Kagome! Study hard, no distractions! If you don't pass your next math test you know how that will affect the-_

Her eyes snapped open as the shrill cry of the bell finally came, followed by the mad stampede of students came through the door, determined not to be any later than they already were. Among them were her friends Eri, Yuka and Ayumi, chatting and tossing their hair behind their shoulders, examining their nails like their perfection was the most important thing in the world. Looking down at her own dirty, bitten nails, callouses covering her hard worked hands, she wished they were her only worry.

She sighed and looked up, giving her friends a small wave, as she wondered sarcastically if they even remembered who she was after all her time away.

She was embarrassingly relieved when she watched her friends smile brightly and wave back, confirming that she still existed in the present time too. _Oh man, I think all this double life stuff is driving me insane; literally! _She thought hysterically.

"Kagome! You're back!" The girls squealed and crowded around her desk cautiously.

"Are you sure you're better! We heard you had a pretty bad case of-uhh-something!" Eri exclaimed looking confused for a moment. Ayumi swatted her arm playfully.

"We tried to visit you a bunch of times, but your grandfather said it was something highly contagious! I forget the name though, too, but you get sick so often I don't even bother keeping track of what it is!" Yuka nodded in agreement.

"But as long as you're better; that's all that matters! Just… we don't want to spread any germs, since you obviously catch things so easily…" She finished, sounding concerned.

Kagome wrinkled her nose and hid behind her bangs, embarrassed. A nervous laugh escaped her lips, and she made a mental note to tell grandpa that next time she was away, to use another excuse. Her friends were starting to think she was some kind of sickly crazy person, for god's sake!

"Oh, I'm fine guys!" She said, her voice a little too high pitched. "You don't need to worry about me… I'm, uh, taking this new medication!" She blurted.

Her friends, oblivious to the badly presented lie, gave "oh's" of concern, but nodded in satisfaction.

Kagome giggled again, this time a little more real. "See?" She asked, rapping her fist lightly on her head and then giving two thumbs up. "I'm as good as new!"

Yuka, Eri and Ayumi laughed along with her in delight. Kagome relished at the feeling of being a normal girl, going to normal school, laughing with her normal friends.

As much as she loved her friends in the feudal era and knew she had a duty to fulfill in that time, she missed her old, boring, _normal _life at times.

Her pretending was cut short as Eri spoke. "So Kagome, since you're on that new medication of yours and you hopefully won't be sick again," She started, and Kagome could feel the guilt forming inside her as she felt another lie coming on. Oh, she hated lying to her friends. "We were all going to the theatre next weekend, because there's this new movie we all want to see, and we'd love it if you came!" Eri clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with false hope.

Kagome groaned inwardly. Why did they have to make it so hard for her? There was absolutely no way Inuyasha would let her stay until next weekend.

Kagome's shoulders hunched. "N-next weekend? Oh-I-uh…" Her mind scrambled to find an excuse, and she_ refused_ to be 'sick' again. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind, which was probably the closest thing her friends were going to get to the truth. "I'm, uh, going camping!"

All three girls' expression dropped to disbelief. "Camping_?_" Ayumi said slowly, as if trying to comprehend the foreign word.

"Camping." Kagome confirmed, cringing at how bad it sounded in her ears. "It's, um, a family tradition. We're all going… Together. _Camping_." She repeated.

The three girls, although looking disappointed, did not look suspicious. _Jeez, they're even more gullible than me!_ "Isn't there anyway you could get out of it!" Eri asked hopefully.

Kagome clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "No, sorry guys. Maybe another time." She said in a regretful tone. _Hmm. _She thought with satisfaction and a twinge of guilt as she watched her friends buy into her story without hesitation. _Maybe I'm a better liar than I thought._

"Okay, enough chit-chatting ladies'!" Her geography teacher, whose name she regretfully had forgotten, snapped. Ayumi, Eri and Yuka giggled and darted into their desks.

The teacher smiled and clapped her hands together once. "Alright, exams start tomorrow, everybody, so I don't have anything new to teach you... And we've been reviewing for the past week, so I thought I'd just give you guys a break, and-" Kagome almost fell out of her desk in surprise. _Oh god… Exams!_ She wanted to slam her head against a wall. How could she have forgotten! She'd have to borrow Yuka's notes… She mentally cringed at the idea of having to beg Inuyasha to stay for a few more days. Meanwhile, the teacher was yapping on about something that had nothing to do with the damn class, oblivious to the students who were now napping, texting, and passing notes.

Kagome drowned out the teachers' monotone voice, thinking about what Inuyasha had said to her earlier that morning. More like what he did, not said. She could never explain the effect he had on her, and that morning she had felt her knees go weak in his presence. She cursed herself repeatedly for loving the man whose heart belonged to another, even if that other was dead. Or un-dead.

She sighed, pointlessly trying to focus on the teacher, who was now waving her arms back and forth in front of the black board, trying to explain something. Eventually giving up on that, she thought of what else was troubling her mind.

How could her life get any more complicated than it already was? Inuyasha was supposed to be her best friend, her protector, her companion, her partner in crime. But this morning… He didn't even know the effect he had on her. While he thought it was all just harmless teasing and fooling around, Kagome was an emotional wreck, trying to decide whether she wanted to melt in his arms or sit him all the way to China.

She was absentmindedly doodling in her binder, tracing the outline of a very detailed Shikon no Tama. Her pencil dulled quickly as she pressed it into the paper harder, her anger at the cursed jewel the only thing on her mind as she coloured the inside black. She instantly stopped, and she looked in surprise at the black Shikon jewel in her binder. Gasping in shame, she flipped the pencil over and scrubbed furiously at the darkness. Hunched over her binder, she softly blew away the guts of the poor eraser and looked at the faint outlines of her drawing. She closed her eyes, and, shaking her head softly, relaxed her grip on her pencil.

"Kagome?" Her teachers' voice brought her back to reality, and her eyes snapped open in embarrassment. "Is there something interesting in there that you would like to show us?" She felt the heat flood her cheeks as she heard chairs scrape across the floor and clothes rustle as everyone turned to look. She heard a few giggles from the back of the class, no doubt coming from Ayumi, Eri and Yuka.

"Nope!" She huffed, closing her binder in one swift movement, pushing it to the far end of her desk. She ran a hand through her hair, thinking of the safe and completely _pure_ shards of the jewel that were stowed away in her bedroom.

Her teacher nodded in smug satisfaction, and continued. "This isn't on your exam or anything, but I thought it was interesting and we might as well do something to pass the time…"

Kagome leaned on her hands; half listening to what she was saying, and half wondering what Inuyasha was up to. _Probably pacing next to the well. If he isn't in my time, already._

"So there's this legend, about the feudal era of Japan, which I thought was really interesting!" Miss whatever was saying. She heard a few collective sighs from her peers.

She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, this was a while ago, a _couple hundred years_ back." She said in hopes of capturing her audience's attention. With no luck, she gave a defeated look, but continued nevertheless.

"In this time, there were demons, witches, gods, and all sorts of supernatural beings." Unable to help herself, Kagome's ears perked up as soon as the middle aged woman mentioned 'demons'.

"There was a great demon lord, who was cold and ruthless, killed without hesitation, and thought of humans as lower than insects even. Oh, and he was a _dog_ demon." She added for good measure. Despite the teachers' poor story telling skills, she heard someone from behind her snicker and another from her right started to bark, earning a few giggles from the rest of the class. Kagome's own eyebrows shot higher up her forehead. A small voice in her head suggested a name, but she quickly dismissed it. _No. It can't be. _She shook the name out of her head.

"But he lost his arm in a battle against his half-brother, who was also a half demon. His brothers' human heritage caused the demon lord to despise him, and they generally weren't on good terms." Kagome's breath hitched in her throat. The voice in her head persisted, pushing that one name to the front of her mind.

"So the demon lord, who was now missing an arm, wanted it back… And he discovered that to get it back, he needed a strong priestess. The priestess that he sought was, ironically, one who traveled with his half brother." Kagome's heart stopped. That voice was back, presenting her with the truth that she could no longer hide from. _No, it can't be. But it fits too well… _

_Sesshomaru._

The world was oblivious to her devastating discovery, and the teacher was talking again. This time, as she started talking, Kagome listened to every word, desperately clinging to each detail.

"The demon; who hated humans, by the way; tracked down his brother and the priestess, and-"

Kagome jumped as the bell rang, interrupting the story. She sat still as her classmates, including Yuka, Eri and Ayumi, gathered their bags and rushed out of the room, leaving only a distressed Kagome behind.

Slowly convincing her limbs to start functioning again, she packed her things into her bag. _Is it possible that we could've made that much of an impact on history? Maybe there are records of them! Of Naraku? I mean, maybe everything that I do in the feudal era will be noted and told throughout history? Oh god, why haven't I ever thought of checking the damn library before? And what was that about me being able to heal Sesshomaru's arm… Assuming the story was about us…_

She felt a headache coming on. Slinging her bag on one arm, she approached her teacher, who seemingly hadn't noticed her yet. She was back to writing on the blackboard.

"Um, Miss – Uh" She caught herself, reddening at the fact that she forgot the woman's name. The teacher spun around, a hand pressed to her chest, her eyes wide. Kagome prayed that she hadn't noticed her slip-up. If she did, she hid it well.

"Oh, yes, Kagome? Can I help you?" She said, taking a seat.

"Oh, well, that story you were talking about was _really _interesting," Kagome started, and she watched as the teachers eyes lit up with excitement and approval. _Well, if I don't get any answers, at least I've got some bonus points with her. I might even pass my exams if I get her to like me. _"and I was just curious, where did you hear about it? Is there anything I could look up in the library?" She asked, hopeful.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but there aren't any books with that specific story; that I _know _of, anyway…" What's-her-face said regretfully, and Kagome couldn't help the feeling of disappointment that washed over her. "No, but that story has been passed down my family for generations. My own mother used to tell me that one when I was a girl." Her eyes sparkled, as if remembering good times. Kagome nodded politely.

"Oh, well, that's okay, I was just wondering. Thanks anyway." She said, turning away.

The woman smiled and nodded at Kagome before she shut the door. "No problem, Kagome!"

After stopping at her locker and picking up some things, Kagome started the walk home. She was just thanking the gods for the silence, and her luck of not running into Hojo or the girls after school when she heard familiar voices behind her.

She groaned quietly to herself in annoyance before plastering a smile on her face and turning towards her friends.

"Hey Kagome, wait up!" Ayumi, Yuka and Eri were jogging to keep up with her. "We wanted to walk you home, but missed you after class! Where did you go?" Ayumi panted after she caught up. The others nodded, still in tow.

"Oh, I just stayed for a minute after class to ask Miss… Uh…" Kagome stuttered.

"Miss Ho?" Eri provided.

"Right!" Kagome exclaimed a little too loudly, ignoring the looks that were sent her way. She rejoiced with the knowledge of her name, glad it wasn't bothering her any more. "Well, I just had to ask her – Miss Ho – a question… About the, uh, exams." She concluded lamely.

The girls nodded fiercely, and Kagome was bombarded with questions about the exams and if she was ready.

"You can borrow my notes, Kagome!" Yuka said, and was suddenly shoving a number of disorganized papers into Kagome's arms.

"Wha-okay," She yelped as something hard connected with her wrist.

"That's my iPod, Kagome! It must get _really _boring when you go camping, and I've got tons of music on there! Lots of that new American stuff, too. Really catchy-" Ayumi's mouth was moving, but Kagome could barely keep up, and each word was a jab at her pounding head.

Before she could blink, her friends had waved goodbye, leaving her grumbling and trying unsuccessfully to zip up her bulging backpack.

Pressing a hand against her head as if it would relieve the pounding, she made her way to the shrine.

But it wasn't until she was in her bed, staring at the ceiling above her, that she realized she hadn't asked Miss Ho about the ending of the story.

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Sesshomaru didn't return to his castle right away. He wandered north, telling himself it had nothing to do with the old man's prophecies.

_There's no immediate work to be done at my domain, and I've always liked the forest better anyway. Rin and Jaken will be safe there, and they shall appreciate the break. They travel too much. They are not built to survive the way I do. Especially Rin. _His thoughts prattled off, and he barely registered thinking them. Still, even in his most dazed moments, he was still alert of his surroundings and prepared for attack as always.

_It will be wise to take a break. I will roam these lands for a few more days, perhaps, and then I will make my way back to my castle. We will then resume our search for Naraku. _He felt a growl rise up his throat as he thought of the despicable half-breed, then swallowed it. _Hate is a useless emotion,_ Sesshomaru pictured his father saying.

People from all the lands imagined Sesshomaru as a very hateful, bitter being. They thought he hated humans, for one. It wasn't so much _hate_, as he just simply… Looked down on them. They were pathetic, senseless creatures, and they were often in the way. He took no pleasure in killing them, it was just… _Necessary_. He rarely gave it more than a thought. No… He didn't _hate_ them. The word was much too complex and meaningful to be wasted on humans.

But Naraku… Naraku was no human. No matter how immature and pointless he thought the emotion was, he had to admit. Naraku was one thing he most _definitely_ hated.

He dwelled on the thought no more as he came upon a small village.

He tried pointlessly to deny it, but he knew he was heading north not out of boredom, but because he had heard rumours of his brother and his friends traveling in this direction.

"_Find her. Bring her to your castle. And when you do, come back to me. I will help you. Trust me."_

He felt his thoughts drifting helplessly to the girl. His _brother's_ girl. The strange, human priestess whom he had tried to kill on more than one occasion.

And his curiosity was not about his arm. His arm could wait. Yes, he would be significantly better in battle with it, but he was not weak without it. He was still that undefeatable god when it came to fighting. But even if that miko could restore it, which he highly doubted, it wasn't so important to him to resort to a humans help to regain it.

No, he was interested because he saw something in Hiromasa's eyes when he mentioned her, something that made him think she had more to do with his future than he had let on. Assuming Hiromasa _had _seen his future. But it would only make sense, because how else would he know so much about him? It made his head hurt.

He eventually came to a decision. Hiromasa was no liar, that much Sesshomaru could tell. He did possess the talents that he had been rumoured to possess. And he knew what Sesshomaru needed.

He narrowed his eyes at the thought. He was Sesshomaru. Lord Sesshomaru, Great demon lord of the west, the one demon's across the land feared. It was ridiculous, being told he _needed_ something, or someone. He would usually kill anyone for letting the insulting words slip their lips, but something with Hiromasa held him back.

Sesshomaru, angered and insulted, had left the scene, vowing never to return to the insane man with a death wish. But in his soul, he knew he wouldn't be able to resist. He would be back.

A.N

Alright, that one was pretty slow., but it had to be done. But more action coming soon! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll get these chapters out!


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